Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sorocaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sorocaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $880 in Sorocaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Sorocaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,767 in Sorocaba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 91% more than Sorocaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sorocaba is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$6.34 R$32.51

26.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$27.96 R$143

71.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.69 R$39.38

28.61%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.25 R$11.53

39.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.27 R$6.52

50.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.71 R$3.64

112.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.37 R$12.15

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.96 R$20.31

45.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.94 R$4.80

53.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.82 R$9.33

36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.93 R$4.78

90.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.43 R$12.43

21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$9.02 R$46.20

11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.00 R$20.50

153.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$7.68 R$39.36

86.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.31 R$11.84

79.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.83 R$9.38

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.08 R$5.56

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.57 R$8.03

43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.17 R$5.99

74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.03 R$5.29

49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.67 R$3.44

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.69 R$3.52

89.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.85 R$14.60

36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$5.57 R$28.54

151.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.54 R$7.88

12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.93 R$9.87

48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.90 R$4.62

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$40.48 R$207

98.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.05 R$5.38

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.33 R$1.67

563.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$7.11 R$36.42

22.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.20 R$6.16

14.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$23.3K R$119.3K

19.55%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.5K R$161.4K

13.58%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$177 COP 559.3K

$80.1 R$410

121.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$12.23 R$62.7

13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$19.70 R$101

50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$25.23 R$129

77.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$14.40 R$73.8

18.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$7.72 R$39.56

-13.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$813 COP 2.6M

$338 R$1,732

140.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,761 R$19.3K

144.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$40.72 R$209

119.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$58.3 R$299

1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$85.2 R$437

62.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$71.8 R$368

42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$229 R$1,173

363.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$234 R$1,200

182.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$458 R$2,347

312.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$393 R$2,015

161.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,833 R$9,391

128.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,240 R$6,354

35.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$424 R$2,173

59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.33

-3.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sorocaba: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $229 in Sorocaba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Sorocaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $185 – making Sorocaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Sorocaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,321 in Sorocaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sorocaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Sorocaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $880 in Sorocaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sorocaba, where all-in costs run around $880, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Sorocaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sorocaba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sorocaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.